Rainbow Six: Weapons Lockdown

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Time to inspect the killer new weapons.

By Douglass C. Perry

You may not have noticed it, but Ubisoft's upcoming arsenal of games is looking extremely good. What's more is that these games, Rainbow Six: Lockdown and Splinter Cell Chaos Theory are coming this spring. That's only about two months away.

That's why we're beginning the examination of Lockdown's innards. And really, what better way then to start with its weapons? In today's in-depth feature, we look at four major weapons that you're sure to fall in lust with, and thanks to Ubsioft's Phillipe Therien, Rainbow Six designer, we have a complete designer diary to explain everything for you.

First off, I am Phillipe Therien, the game designer for Rainbow Six: Lockdown. The focus of this diary is to discuss the guns in game.

Guns are of course an essential part of any Rainbow Six game and Lockdown is no exception. The arsenal available to the player contains both classic, proven guns and some newcomers. In total, there are some 24 weapons available, 8 of which are new. One of the most important new aspects is, of course, the dual gameplay, which allows the user to play as both the team leader Domingo Chavez and as team sniper Dieter Weber.

Dieter uses a WA 2000 sniper rifle. This rifle was never sent into full production due to its prohibitive price, which makes it a truly unique choice for a discerning user. It does not require hand operation between shots so it is ideal for the fast-paced action that Rainbow is known for. Its bullpup design makes it easy to handle, without effecting its efficiency. It maintains high accuracy and has an effective range of over 1000 meters.

Now, Dieter can't be at hand to save the day on every Rainbow mission. This means that the team needs a versatile range of weapons so they are equipped to handle any situation. Many of the weapons available are of a classic law enforcement nature, like the MP5/10 submachine gun for example.

Going with the MP5/10 was an obvious decision. The MP5 has been a trademark weapon of Rainbow operatives in Clancy literature and games since the beginning and it wouldn't be a rainbow game without its most famous weapon. This particular version of the MP5 is a bit of a rarity, sporting 10mm ammo. It offers a bigger punch then the traditional 9mm payload. Few of these weapons are in use today which makes it an interesting modified weapon.

WA 2000

A submachine gun will get you pretty far in most CQB, or Close Quarter Battles, but there are still times when you need something extra. This is when a weapon like the SR-4 CQB comes in handy.

The key feature for any Rainbow operative is versatility. We opted to combine the proven and true carbine with an under barrel shotgun, which proves to be a powerful close quarter weapon.

Super 90

The M870 shotgun mounted on the carbine makes for an imposing rifle that not only looks good, but also offers unmatched firepower. The idea behind this odd combination of weapons was to allow users to take out doors with the shotgun.

While on the subject of shotguns, last but not least is USAS 12. When stealth has gone out the window and precision has left the building, some situations call for superior firepower. The USAS 12 is a fully automatic shotgun that can unload 20 rounds of ammo in just a few seconds. The distinctive sound it makes while firing will quickly be recognized by opponents, making them think twice about confronting the user head-on.

G36C

Although this gun has been around before, it has received an overhaul to make it more efficient. We're sure that the fans will appreciate this powerhouse.

Realism is important to the Rainbow games. Naturally, this includes weapons as well. We spend a lot of time researching the hardware in order to portray the weapon as accurately as possible in the game. Granted, sometimes realism has to give way for gameplay, but when it comes to weapons we always try to stay as close to the real deal as possible. Most of the weapons we choose to include have a proven track record in the field of law enforcement and counter-terrorism.

UMP

That said, you can look forward to going into the field with weapons previously considered to be strictly military because of the ever-changing nature of terrorism.

Stick with us as we explore various aspects of Rainbow Six: Lockdown in the upcoming months, and as we dig deeper into all its splendors.